Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Program
Yale Medicine pediatric orthopedic specialists at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital provide comprehensive care to treat children whose condition may require surgical or non-surgical treatment for limb length differences. Our expert team cares for children of all ages, from prenatal consultations to infancy, adolescence, and into adulthood. The surgical team is skilled in advanced limb lengthening techniques and depending on the patient’s condition, collaborates with other pediatric specialists in anesthesiology, endocrinology, oncology, plastic surgery, physical therapy and psychology.
Limb differences may be caused by one of the following conditions:
- Congenital, or inherited conditions that cause differences in the development of a limb.
- A traumatic event causing severe injuries to the limb may result in loss of bone or soft tissue. This also includes some fractures that have not healed.
- An infection of the limb can result in poor development, bone or soft tissue loss, or joint stiffness. This includes infected implants and fractures.
- Some neurologic brain and spinal cord conditions can result in joint stiffness interfering with function.
- Cancer-related illnesses, such as the surgical removal of a tumor on bone, may result in a limb difference.
- Cosmetic reasons, such as height surgery for individuals wishing to be taller.
